By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
Key Points:
- State wants a delay on egg rule lawsuit decision ahead of law rewrite
- Cage-free rule enforcement paused; new version expected by October
- Lawsuit claims agriculture department exceeded authority and raised egg prices with 2022 regulation
Attorneys for the state want a judge to delay their decision on the legality of a law concerning cage-free hens created by the Department of Agriculture.
But it is less than clear that anything decided by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney will make a difference in the price of eggs in Arizona — especially with the state’s largest egg producer having to euthanize millions of hens due to bird flu.
Lawyers also pointed out to Blaney that the ruling, initiated by a Tucson restaurant owner concerned about rising egg prices, isn’t even in effect yet and hasn’t yet had an impact on the cost of products in Arizona.
